It's often said that the hero in a book must be good, or at least likeable, otherwise the book won't sell. This is why noir fiction novels - those told from the point of view of the bad guy – don’t get written any more. They were big back in the day, but their day has been and gone.

I set out to challenge that view last year when I wrote 'Confessions of an English Psychopath'.

The hero of the book - if you could call him that - is ruthless, and has few, if any, redeeming features.

Guess what? People seem to like him.

So this year I've gone one further.

I've written a book called 'Manchester Vice' about a man who's even less likeable than my English psychopath. He's witty, charming, selfish, and deadly.

His story has much in common with that of Lou Ford, the central character in 'The Killer Inside Me'.

It'll be interesting to see how popular he - and the book - prove to be.

Is there still a market for noir fiction? Or has it had its day?

Let me know what you think.

In the meantime, I'll be looking for a publisher for 'Manchester Vice'. I'll keep you posted with details of my progress.